Dungeon Keeper
by Blackjackpony
Summary: Twilight Sparkle and her friends once again save equestria. but this time she gets a little more from the villain than she expected. fearing for equestria and not thinking straight Twilight ventures into the underworld to stop the evil at its source.
1. Chapter 1

(I don't own the rights to my little pony or dungeon keeper they are owned by Hasbro and EA respectively)

I tapped my feet uncertainly on the damp cold earth, the rhythmic sound of digging echoing along the wet tunnel as my imps continued digging into the unknown. Blinking I looked to my right and saw a warlock in dark blue robes that was reading a worn looking spellbook whilst gently rubbing his thin black moustache. it was my long time enemy Anamid the blue, My own spellbook a lovingly crafted flesh red hand book held only the basic spells required to keep a dungeon in check far less than Anamid's vast array of devastating spells from his many years of research into every school of magic including, I suppressed a shudder WHITE magic. even so such a tantalising treasure as Anamid's spellbook before me was enough to get me tapping the hilt of my blade excitedly, I had after all spent years tearing Anamid's territory apart looking for that exact book except now much to my dismay we had an alliance.

* * *

Two weeks earlier

The tunnel I walked along was dark the unyielding stone caused my plated footfall to eco along the unclaimed land. In the distance I saw the faint glow of a torch singling the entrance to the battered hall were most dungeons and towns met, well the big ones anyway there were always small keepers who hid in the darkness, weak keepers, very different to the five before me the six of us were the underworlds superpowers the strongest keepers who would like nothing more than to slay those around them. A smile crossed my face, perfect company.

"And so the mighty Heras blesses us with his presence oh dark days" a gray blue robed wizard mocked, Anamid a bigger asshole than I am.

"Hmm yesss well it did take a while for you to arrive having trouble with the impsss ssslaking off now are we?" The pale skinned vampire Canial Venomfear added, he was an asshole too.

"SILENCE! I did not attend this meeting to listen to your pathetic comments Heras speak quickly i have little patience" the biggest horned reaper in the underworld barked. standing just over eaght foot tall and built like a red brick shit house, Nakot was an intimidating figure on that alone when coupled with the massive honeycomb of dungeons he controls made for one reaper you did not want to mess with. Not that messing with any reaper is smart or safe.

"As you are all undoubtedly aware the underworld is shrinking an-"

"WHAT nonsense is this no magic can make the underworld shrink. YOU DRAG ME ALL TH-"deciding that Nakot was officially an idiot I cut him off. Just like he did to me.

"It was a metaphor Nakot I'm saying that there is less room than there used to be and our realms need expansion" there was a slight pause as the assembled superpowers looked at eatch other nervously bar Nakot who looked like he wanted my head on a platter fixing his eyes on me in a death glare.

"running low on gold Heras?" a playful voice asked drawing my eyes to the scantily clad succubus as she flicked her coiled whip making a sharp crack a sound that many imps fear. And some of the stranger residence of the underworld long for. This was Zahvina the mistress of the damp caverns and the deeper dungeons (she made the names).

"I control the gem mines, anyway the entire underworld is running out of gold, land and even blood to spill." There silence was all the conformation I needed "in order to ensure the longevity of our dungeons I propose a truce"

"Oh is this truce going to be as fun as our last one Heras?" suppressing the unwelcome memories of my last truce with Zahvina (NEVER EVER EVER let her talk you into Experimenting) I wisely ignored the comment.

"In this truce we shall all support a expansion to one of the smaller overworlds one that we have not visited before, corrupt the locals take the land and get straight back to fighting each other" there was a general murmur of agreement from the assembled keepers.

"good than prepare your forces I estimate that in just a few weeks we will brake though to the overworld".

* * *

Today

Nakot walked along the hastily dug tunnel that was just slightly too small for him to avoid hitting his long ivory horns on the roof, His dark red hooves dug into the soft earth kicking dirt up his heavily muscled legs marring the tough skin. He was flanked on both sides by two gold clad female reapers. Their small curved alluring horns were gracefully linked by gold chain that clashed with their blood red well-defined bodies. The very thought of the concubines walking along behind him made Nakot's mouth water. His feeling of bliss soon soured and turned to anger at the sight of the two biggest assholes of Nakot's life came into view Heras and Anamid. Seeing them together was worse than seeing them alone. AND he could not even kill them. Shaking from anger and willing himself not to smash there dumbshit faces into the wall he spoke up His deep voice echoed along the tunnel.

"Have the imps not finished this tunnel? We should be through by now!"

Heras glanced over his piercing red eyes looking at Nakot's dirtied horns scraping along the 9ft tall tunnel he displayed no interest in answering Nakot's question so of course the slimy nasal slobbering HUMAN voice of Anamid filled the void . 'wonderful'

"The imps are working at an acceptable pace and will be done by the time our dungeon hearts are all ready to be moved. So I advise patience instead of fuming madly like a selfish little imp."

His eyes starting to glow Nakot took a step forward arms clenched into fists Long sharp Knife-like teeth glistened in the light of a flame torch burning on the wall.

"Say that just one more time you little shit and I will kill you AND PAINT MY TRESURE ROOM WITH YOUR BLOOD!"

The loud shout was enough to invoke a reaction out of Heras who looked at the two keepers arguing as one might find pair of squabbling children... or shit you find on your shoe.

"We are but a few moments away and I was intending to move further along, soon my imps will break the surface first while Anamid's imps will break though later on in about a day or so."

Anamid turned towards Heras . giving a look of confusion that satisfied Nakot if only slightly.

"Weren't we all going out at the same time?"

"No it would be too easy to lay siege to us if we concentrated in one area. It would be wiser to use multiple exists to spread ourselves further over the land making it difficult to field a large force against us" looking at the blank stares he was receiving . Heras sighed and continued "I will be moving with a small force while you will all be setting up a dungeon at key points ready for an attack, now I'll be back in a while you two will guard the entrance, so as to prevent any heroes coming in and spoiling our day" Without waiting for a response the dark armour clad knight walked down the tunnel that Nakot had just came from. a single thought bounced around the horned reaper's head,

'Asshole'

* * *

Princess Celesta smiled at the large number of recruits before her. She was currently in the royal throne room with her sister sitting to her right despite her growing sense of unrest. She sat patiently as the newest batch of earth legion recruits stumbled though the oath of service before they would be shipped out to training. Some of the recruits had even opted for the night oath much to Luna's surprise allowing her to begin rebuilding the night legion after a thousand years.

"...And we will never falter when upholding our oath in whatever actions we undertake"the assembled recruits said in unison finishing their oath.

Moving forward from her seat next to her sister. Luna. she looked at her ponies with a loving smile. They were all filled with such potential. Celestia giggled inwardly. They all looked a bit silly using the unfitted ceremonial armor provided for the oath. making them look a bit like little colts wearing their first horseshoes... well they WERE little colts to Celestia but that was besides the point. Celesta's musing was interpreted by a gentle nudging from her luminescent sister.

"Thank you all. We can see great things in the future ahead, for all of you, now go and make equestria, your families, and friends proud."

Celestia quickly turned and left the hall. Her sense of unease grew while walking along an otherwise identical series of corridors. Which lead to the palace sky-dock, she was looking for the transport that would take the recruits to the Staliangrad military zone. Flagging down the captain she quickly changed the destination to Ponyville. The thirty new legionnaires would provide extra protection without raising suspicion that anything was amiss. Why would she send a force to Ponyville? Well nothing ever happens anywhere else unless Twilight and her friends are travelling so it seemed like the logical choice knowing twilight. Giving her access to a militia was probably overkill. But it would do wonders for her confidence.

(so... love it hate it just don't care for it tell me thanks for reading)  
(EDIT: a big thank you to PonyManne215 for pre-reading this thanks mate)


	2. Chapter 2

(I don't own the rights to my little pony or dungeon keeper they are owned by Hasbro and EA respectively)

"SPIKE!"

"I'm coming I'm coming" a haggard looking baby dragon called back to his surrogate sister as he stumbled down a set of warn looking wood steps "keep your hooves on"

"Spike its way past mid-afternoon why are you still in bed?" came a voice from an adjacent room.

"You never woke me and you know how dragons are, sleep and dragons go together like ice cream and pinkie pie"

"Did somepony say ice cream?" a pink blob asked from a top a bookcase, one of many that circled the library's main room. Pinkies sudden appearance did little to faze the Spike who smiled at his friend.

"Nope just somedragon"

"What about all of the serious face ponies behind you Spiky?"

"Wha Aghh TWILIGHT why is there an army of ponies in the living room!?. And how did I not see them earlier, are they ninjas?" the purple pony in question trotted into the library's main room with a scroll floating in a purple haze next to her.

"No they are not ninja's spike, hello pinkie, they are a light scout troop that Celestia has given me control over for the next few weeks" the unicorn passed the scroll to one of the unicorns in formation. A dusty gray colt in the dark brown steal armour of the equestrian scout force the pegasi in the formation had a lighter set on that allowed for more movement whereas the earth ponies present had a 'heavy' variant.

"Why would the princess give you your own little army? That sounds more like Luna than Celestia" spike tapped his scaled chin deep in thought than letting out a gasp he looked at twilight "Have the griffins invaded?"

"No I-"

"Have the zebra nations attacked?"

"No sp-"

"are there zombie ponies in the streets ready to devour us all leaving us to survive in small pockets of safety always afraid of what the next dawn will bring IF there even is a dawn in the post-"

"No spike none of that, the princess just has a bad feeling and is making shore we are all prepared in the event that something does happen, Applejack has been kind enough to let us turn one of her barns into a barracks, so I'm going over there, now I woke you up so you can look after the library while I'm out."

"Oh ok no problem I am after all your number one assistant" spike flexed his nonexistent muscles causing many of the scout troop to smile and one small Pegasus mare to stifle a giggle .

"Hay were did pinkie go?" the purple mares question caused the assembled ponies and dragon to look around wearily for the evasive pink party pony.

"Commander Sparkle." A silky green earth pony ventured.

"Oh yeah, we will see her later anyway, Troop to your duties fall-out" twilight commanded with ease of only somepony who had been around the military or been in it could. The 30 pony troop filed out of the tree/library/home followed by a grinning twilight whose thoughts turned to her brother and what he would say to his sister in this instance, being the captain of the royal guard and unofficial commander of equestria's military.

"Bye Spike don't eat any junk while I'm gone have fun." The young dragon waved in response as he gently closed the door so as to avoid slamming it.

"Now ware is that ice cream?"He asked nopony in particular as he opened the kitchen's magic refrigerator only to be greeted by a pink slip of paper, a crude smiley face drawn on one side.

"PINKIE!" spike wept for all that was wrong in the world, for all of two minutes, before walking off in search of a gem to suck on muttering dark things for pinkie involving buckets and doors oh soo many doors.

I could not help but smile as my foot came into contact with my own clamed territory. Mana instantly filling me with warmth and power, the gentle thump of my many dungeon Hearts suddenly amplified. Filling my head with their blissful beat drowning out all noise as I strode though my outer bulwark an iron door opining magically at my presence. Some trolls were playing cards on the table pausing there game to not respectfully at me as I walked past as predicted all of them were cheating.

"Master you have returned!" the high pitched voice come from an older imp doing his best to finish his cigarette quickly "have you any orders master?"

"Yes alert one of the larger goblin tribes that I will be moving them, tell them to meet in the guard room" I waved the loyal imp away as he scampered off. I ran my steel encased fingers along the reinforced wall leading to my outermost Heart feeling energy leave my gloved hand like a static charge leaving a slight crackle and the smell of ozone in the stale underground air which I breathed from deeply.

Finally arriving at my dungeon Heart I steeled myself for what was to happen, walking over one of the three stone walkways just over the fleshy beating Heart each beat expelling a green blast of excess Mana that electrified the air, reaching out with my right arm my hand closed around a clear gem floating in the air as my fist closed around the flawless glowing tear shaped diamond a blinding red light filled the room and though the steel, cloth and flesh I could see the bones of my hand as I pulled the gem from its magical pedestal the fleshy Heart beneath me turned slowly to stone and the arch that ran over the epicentre of this dungeon folded back into the ground leaving only a stone circle and a horned reapers head engraved in it as all that remained of my heart.

I stood there for a little while looking at the blood red stone in my palm before turning on my heel and walking away heading for the guard room the smile and spring in my step lost.

The scout troops marched though the town in file despite being dismissed by twilight earlier. The troop marched in a column, four rows of eight, earth ponies leading the way as young foals jumped up on their armoured backs playfully and inspected the dull brown plate the big ponies were wearing. The pegasi in the troop were next, hooffalls in time with their earth pony counterparts, wings held high and straight so they could fly off if they needed, they to were accompanied by young local foals mostly pegasi who stick their wings out and sloppily copied the synchronised march looking up at the troop in adoration. Finally flanking the force came the unicorns who were levitating a small number of foals around the street electing playful squeals from the floating foals. Local ponyville farmers and artisans tucked sweet tasting flowers into the passing troops armour passed apples and sweets into their saddlebags evrypony was happy to greet equstrea's defenders on their impromptu parade.

As the troop left the outskirts of the town there was not a grim face amongst them most of the colts wore dopy grins from the odd mare who kissed them in passing, the mares too wore smiles from the kind words of admiration they had received from the local colts and even a few mares. Twilight herself was the not spared from the towns sudden celebration receiving just as much affection as the troops she led leaving her with a happy grin and a confident stride.

"Hay Applebloom pass the apple pie over here"

"aright Applejack it's still mighty hot though" the young filly Applebloom winced as she nearly burnt her lips on the hot plate a delicious looking apple pie rested on, apple jack moved the plate into the middle of the long table where it met an impressive airy of apple based food Granny Apple and Big Macintosh were also helping set the table for the 30 or so gusts they were about to receive.

"I haven't seen cousin AppleSlice in years who'd thought that the trainin them military folks do would take so long" the large red stallion said excitement clear in his simple tones.

"you can say that again big mac well I bet anit none of em have had any good home cookin in a long time" the present apple clan nodded in affirmative as the rhythmic clop of the troop signalled their imminent arrival.

"hello Applejack thank you for doing all this on such short notice I had no idea how I was going to feed them until you volunteered"

"well it's all right twi but I got to ask what's with the flowers... and lipstick" the orange mare pointed a hoof to twilights cheek which had a lopsided kiss mark were an adventurous mare had sloppily kissed twilight during the parade though town, twilight also sported a crown made from flowers. At their mention twilight attacked her face with a hoof trying desperately to remove the suggestive mark on her cheek.

"I um it-I"

"Hay AJ twilight was just all over that mare her little army had to forcibly separate them I saw the whole thing" a rainbow coloured cloud mocked parting to reveal a lean, rainbow maned Pegasus mare who landed between her friends with a back flip.

"Hay rainbow why are YOU of all ponies wearing lipstick" Applejack inquired.

"i-i No I just ate a glazed donut pffft me? Wearing lipstick? Ridicules, hay is that pie?" the cyan speedster joined the scouts before any more awkward questions could be asked just as they began to dig into the available food thanking their hosts as they went. Applejack watched the ponies dig into there food with gusto and after roughly half an hour Applejack looked at her cousin.

"Hay AppleSlice c'mere" Applejack waved over her cousin who quickly excused himself from the table.

"Hay Applejack what's up?" AppleSlice asked embracing his cousin.

"well look at you part of the equestrian army, got some fancy armour too"

"It's a big honour to serve equestria" AppleSlice said proudly standing up straighter.

"it's good to see you AppleSlice now we got to get all of you into the barn for a good night's rest" both Apples turned to see the happy fed troop with Applejacks friends who were all sleepily joking and it looked like a few of them were asleep already, nopony wore a sour face but instead all had content smiles.

the sound of digging though rock was rhythmic and one that i had grown accustomed to, so when the sound was broken to a hollow scraping sound there was little doubt that we had reached our destination with a steady scrape than a sudden crash my imps broke though the stone brick wall kicking up a cloud of dust that obscured the end of the tunnel without missing a beat i walked into the dust cloud flanked by four skeletons holding rusted broken swords and shields, behind the skeletons were six dark elves scanning the darkness crossbows held out in fount of them, at the elves heels was my main force forty goblins all using short swords a few of them even had helmets.

around us was a dark, stale, unused basement rotten empty crates and barrels littered the floor and my invasion force occasionally disturbed a rusted peace of nail or scrap with there footfalls. out ahead of me my imps were lighting wooden torches on the walls that had stood unused for an uncertain amount of time yet lit the subterranean room with a even worm glow.

"Master a staircase" my faithful imp pointed out the passage blocked by a simple heavy wooden door that hung on its last hinge. after walking up the small staircase I found myself in a long hall perhaps a Throne room yet the Throne was long gone, were it should be was instead a semicircle of shattered rock lit by a thick beam of moonlight something that enthralled my minions.

Seeing a slight glow in the distance I moved closer to one of the shattered stain-glass windows and pared out into the darkness, there past a thick forest was the unmistakable glow of an inhabited town nothing a force of thirtyseven goblins couldn't fix, I felt the smile that had been lost to me since I closed down one of my many dungeon Hearts returning. with a delightfully evil grin i spun on my heel and gave the order for the goblins to march on the settlement. the skeletons and dark elves set up defensive potions around the abandoned ruin in case of counter-attack. taking the blood red Heart stone from my plate sleeve I flicked it into the air were it remained, feeding me Mana witch I used to summon a golden throne reapers were so fond of.

"Its good to be bad"

(so how is the pace? too fast? too slow? tell me in the comments.)


	3. Chapter 3

(I don't own the rights to my little pony or dungeon keeper they are owned by Hasbro and EA respectively)

Twilight sparkle looked around her observing the high walls inlaid with stained glass the white marble gave way to a long red carpet that split the large hall in two, turning the throne she saw her mentor the calm mare sat addressing a small group of ponies a slight smile on her face.

"You are shirking your responsibility Twilight." Nightmare moon stood beside her the dark mare's very presence darkening the hall.

"How so?" the purple unicorn asked deciding to humour her defeated foe this was obviously a dream after all something her subconscious put here to whittle the hours away until she awoke once more.

"You look but fail to see, is it not your duty to protect ponyville?" the Alicorn's voice was calm "Stop this nonsense and LOOK" at the final word nightmares voice became a scream in contrast to the unusual softness her voice had prior, the sudden loudness of nightmare moon's voice caused Twilight to jump.

"what do you mean?" the dark alicorn did not answer but the scene before twilight changed, the pale marble walls became a dull gray stone as the stained glass cracked and shattered, celestia's ornate throne became smaller, sharper instead of loyal Pegasi and unicorn guards pale hairless monsters stood fiddling with crossbows. Glancing around the hall twilight recognised it as the one she and her friends had defeated nightmare moon in, her musings were cut short when the black chitin covered figure that sat atop the throne locked eyes with her.

"Who are you?" the question startled twilight especially because it was her who asked it the creature did not respond its glowing red eyes boring into twilight making her want to run and hide dark spots entered Twilights vision but she dared not move not even blink as her world turned black.

* * *

"ah can't tell you how proud of you ah am" Applejack inspected her Apple Slice's fine dull brown helmet, the enchanted steel made her coat stand on end but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling just one of warmth as if Celestia were herself beside you "the whole family is going to be here tomorrow all the apples from Appleosa to Stalliongrad" the mare gently put down the helmet "not just the apples we got the carrots, cabbages, pines, pies most are here already but golden harvest is looking after them, eyup tomorrow's guna be one heck of a party all right"

"is that smoke?" apple slice squinted into the twilight a long pillar of black smoke rose up from the sleepy town.

"Now why in the hay would there be a fire in ponyville all the shops are closed" the orange mare looked over apple slices shoulder "what the hay is going on?"

* * *

"Do we need more orange juice Tavi?" the gray mare in question looked over at her housemate Vinyl scratch who was orbiting eight cartons of the orange beverage around her.

"it's not on the list vinyl" the earth pony held a list up to emphasise her point "we need to cut costs after you set the house on fire how you managed that with lemons I have no idea" vinyl chuckled at the mention of her most recent shenanigans involving a paperclip some tape two lemons and a spanner that had ended in a combustible lemon war with the local mailmare destroying the entire house yet leaving the rest of the town unharmed. Octavia remembered vinyl refusing Ditzzy's offer to pay for the damages, the words "Na man it's cool" echoed in her nightmares still.

"So no OJ? Ah that bites what am I supposed to drink? WATER? Hmpf not likely"

"we just need the essentials" just as Octavia finished her sentence a shrill cry could be heard from outside the corner shop the few ponies who were inside the well lit building froze unsure of how to act, all except for a white unicorn who burst from the shop to help whoever was in trouble. Her movement spared Octavia into motion, upon leaving the shop the two ponies were horrified to find a battered Cheerilee her front right foreleg ending in a bloody mess over her stood a squat green monster something Octavia recognised instantly a goblin from folklore.

"Pony taste nice" the green biped grinned the faint light from the shop illuminating the crimson that covered its lower face. For the first time in her life vinyl had no idea what to do, her coat felt cold making her shiver looking at the faintly sobbing earth pony vinyl felt her stomach clench her heart felt like it would explode any second, when the unicorn mare looked up she saw the crushed corpse of the green monster and her roommate stood over Cheerilee whispering calming things to the crippled mare.

"-VINYL SNAP OUT OF IT!" the commanding voice of Octavia broke though Vinyl's mental collapse.

"Oh Celestia what do we do?" vinyl's voice came out as barely a whisper a contrast to the usually loud mare.

"go to Applejacks farm and get Twilight go NOW!" vinyl spun around and looked out across town more of the green things were setting things alight and ponies were being attacked in their own homes some even lay on the ground unmoving, vinyl disappeared in a flash alerting a small horde of goblins to Octavia who gave Cheerilee one last hug before standing to her hooves and bracing herself.

* * *

Twilight turned to applejack new understanding sparkling in her eyes she knew what she had to do now.

"Applejack get the others and bring them here i think i know what is going on" on her final word she once more disappeared from sight.

the town was in chaos but then that was to be expected i walked along one of the streets as my goblins burned and smashed and bashed and ate the town, this was probably the worst thing to happen to this realm in years, he got a smile out of that.

"MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" I was interrupted by a loud cry from the end of the street it looked like a force of the local... ponies? They weren't horses that was certain, and the fact that they had an armed force made them better then the fairies in my eyes.

i looked to my right to the disturbance I felt before the one that made me walk all the way into this little town, it was a pile of crushed goblin bodies with a little gray mare stood in the middle, I decided I liked her.

"you killed my minions..." my deep booming voice echoed throughout the town as I waited for her response which never came as a sudden blast of powerful magical energy hit me in the back melting my armour in some places, turning slowly i looked at the little purple unicorn who dared to strike me.

* * *

"This ends here monster" Twilight's voice was calm as she circled the beast that stood a head higher than even Celestia "I won't let you hurt anypony else" that made the creature pause before the red dots that made up its eyes locked with hers.

"I will be back with more little pony more little goblins and darker monsters still but just know that if you stand strong there will be a place for you at my side" with that he let out a deep booming laugh before melting into a black ichor.

Twilight let out a furious cry how dare to monster even THINK that she would join his dark cause in her fury she called her magic to her and teleported to where she knew the armored creature went.

(so to me this chapter seems rushed and i don't like it that much but hay its needed to get where i want to story to go. Thanks for reading)


	4. Chapter 4

Teleportation to those witnessing it is a flash of light and a sudden depressurization effect, nothing too spectacular but a good trick that can save your life. to the person or pony traveling this way its an explosion of light that your eyelids can't hold back and a sudden painful pop as your body tries to compensate for the sudden change in pressure.

however for a pony like Twilight teleportation is step one.

Twilight herself has developed and perfected the casting of five spells that negate all of the negative effects something even very strong and old Keepers have trouble mastering, so you can imagine the surprise Heras felt as the little unicorn appeared before him in full battle stance ready to fight.

"STOP!" the unicorn cried out her rage bubbling off of her like a wave of delightful dark energy causing the black knight to grin and bask in the unintended glow.

"Ah you have come, and filled with rage enough to boil the blood of a lesser being" Heras let out a booming laugh his voice seeming to come from everywhere at once.

without responding Twilight took in her surroundings while casting a small shield spell spotting the slim pale figures holding knives and crossbows, but the dark elves were quickly wiped from her mind as she looked up at the end of the room. the gem floating by itself captivated the unicorn its pulsing red light seeming to match her own heartbeat as she gazed up in longing.

"beautiful is it not?" Twilight jumped forward sending a magic missile at the black knight who just snuck up on her and was inches away from her shield, the blast struck the steel helmet of Heras giving Twilight a view of the cracked and blackened skin underneath before the steel repaired itself with a orange glow.

"What do you want?" the Unicorns voice was low as she moved closer to the gem.

"What, do, I, want?" the dark human taped his boot on the floor and looked up slightly as if deep in thought. "to free you would be my best response, you see... i have a vision of the future" he paused to look at the dark elves who had encircled the gem protecting the heart catalyst. "a Vision!" his voice caused Twilight to snap her head down and stare at the figure. "of a world without conflict" Twilight could not see his face she knew that his next words were uttered with the darkest of grins "under me" Twilights face hardened and she found the next words the easiest she have ever uttered.

" That's not going to happen!" the unicorn was in the center of the hall now with her shield up and enemies the likes of which she have never faced before, alone. only now in retrospect did she see how stupid her choice to chase the knight was.

"-Here or closeby, she must be!" the voice was calm, dark and was the voice of a pony Twilight did not want here.

"Oh? looks like we have guests!" with a wave of his hands the pale bipeds vanished leaving only twilight and the knight left in the hall.

"You never told me your name Unicorn" Heras nodded sliding a long, black blade from its sheath.

"I know" Twilight sent a few more blasts at Heras who nodded armor rebuilding itself as he looked back to the entrance to the hall and then to Twilight.

"My name is Heras, learn it well Unicorn for you will serve me soon." He nodded looking back as the door opened "now watch as i break you"

The door opened to a pink maned mare with a matching straight mane who stood in the doorway, the figure of Heras was a blur as he rushed to the Pink Party Pony only for his blade to miss its mark. in an instant Pinkie was no longer where she was but the Dark Keeper's swing was not wasted as his blade met flesh and severed head from body. The room went quiet as the decapitated head of AppleSlice rolled across the floor his bronze helmet making a loud clang as it bounced to Pinkies hooves, the pink pony looked down at the head her face without emotion of any kind as she looked back up to the keeper recovering from his overshot swing.

"you moved quickly... but can you keep it up?" in a flash he was upon her slicing this way and that his blade seaming to miss Pinkie by fractions and hair with's as the pair engaged in an odd dance of death, Pinkie's face showing equal amounts fear and anger doing her best to keep alive.

it took three seconds for Twilight to respond, she closed her eyes and charged her horn throwing her body into a teleport that sent her flying at the floating crystal that seemed to glow brighter came closer flashing brightly as Twilights hoof came into contact with it causing the black knight to cry out and clutch at his chest in agony.

"smart, but it is a waste a- SMACK!" the Dark Lord was sent across the room with twin dents in his chest plate as applejack recovered from her attack.

" y'all need to pay attention!" the farm pony cried out tears streaking down her face as she turned on the recovering keeper " cuss i'm about to make you regret everythin' you just did"

Beside the pony stood a disheveled looking pale unicorn with a stern gaze next to her was a furious looking pegasus with a rainbow mane, a smaller looking pony with a butter yellow coat and flared wings stood back slightly but with a face no less furious the pink party pony beside her, the pink mares mane looked slightly shorter after Heras attacked.

Around their necks sat five amulets with a Tiara floating in the air next to rarity.

"is this it? none of you have the power of the purple one, none of you would be worth my time alone" the agitated dark knight got to his feet rolling his shoulders as he held a hand up black flame dancing along his hand dripping molten flesh and dark steel to the floor as he charged a spell "so just stay still this will be quick and painful"

"TWILIGHT! CATCH!" rarity cried as she tossed the Element of Magic to her friend who caught it quickly with her magic and placed it on her head turning to the gem and digging her hooves into the floor.

"Over here girls, use the elements on the gem"

Time seemed to slow as the keeper tossed the ball of fire at the group as they formed up magic rainbows circling them as Twilight began to rise her eyes glowing white. the dark lord recognized the danger jumping into an impossibly fast sprint only to get blasted back from the pulsing power of the elements, suddenly a beam shot forward to the floating gem hitting it to the sound of a terrified and agonized scream, Heras fell to his hands as his armor is torn apart from within his body turning to ash. It was over in seconds the six ponies falling to the ground with a collection of moans, twilight falling before the now dark gem her eyes closing quickly as her body gave out sending her to the world of dreams.


	5. Welcome Back Keepers

Welcome keepers, it has been a while. i lost the will to write this for a long time... well now i intend to start it up with the chapter that i have been sitting on for so long (because i think its quite a weak chapter) thankfully despite this being a weak chapter the ones after will let me get into the swing of things, but before that i want to ask you for something, firstly do you want longer chapters or for me to keep to the shortish chapters i have now?

secondly if you have idea's for a keeper i can use in the story i will do my best to add them in, if you have a keeper idea PM me the details.

I will need

Name:

gender:

Race: human, elf, dark elf, goblin, horned reaper

Keeper style: ie magic, ghosts, vampires, traps

Skirmish style: rush, turtle that kind of thing

Bio: just a bit on what the keeper is like

Power: has a single realm and some creatures, a large fortress with some outlying realms, has a dark army of goblins who run a taverns across the world anything you can think of (note, weaker keepers will be in the story faster)

thank you for putting up with my lack of updates i will do more in future.


	6. Chapter 5

I woke up in a library, not one of the dark musky ones that little my empire, but a clean, bright and happy looking one. I took a dislike to this place at once, looking around the library I took in the wooden walls, floor and ceiling without much interest, the place reminded me of a Pixie town I once attacked using only Imps, good times.

"YOU!" a loud voice filled the room and I turned to face the Unicorn who made it, she looked bigger than before but that was before I died... wait.

"I should be dead" I mused placing a hand to my chin, it remained scarred and blistered from my experiments with dark magic, there are some things that never heal, dark things that eat at your soul in exchange for power.

"What are you doing in my library?" the unicorn asked rapping one of her hooves on the floor, for what had just transpired she seemed rather placid.

"I am not, well I am but not here" I grunted, the obvious implications of being in this Unicorns Library darkened my mood.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she cocked her head looking at me from the side like that would help her understand how a burnt and scarred Human in what I quickly identified as my old clothes back from when I was a pickpocket was now standing in what I assumed was her home.

"You are asleep, and have claimed my spirit by severing my connection to my other dungeon hearts" I grinned and pulled a book from a shelf, it held pictures of a picnic with detailed writing of the event, I skimmed through it taking notes of ponies that this mare found important.

"Dungeon Hearts?" I looked up at her holding her gaze for a while as I slowly clicked my neck.

"For a mental prison this place is rather comfortable, with easy access to your memory..." I pulled another book from the shelf disposing of the ones I just looked through on the floor and in a flash the books vanished.

"You are in my head?!" she asked her rather large eyes going wide as her pupil became small as a pinprick.

"Yes, with nowhere else to go I latched onto the closest thing I could to survive, now when most keepers do this they kill their new host, so what makes you so special that I..." no reason to tell her I can't kill her " can be here without you dying" she blinked and taped her hooves on the floor some more aggravating me.

"So you are stuck in my head" she ignored my question and looked around at the now bare library, she had worked out how to protect her memories in a few seconds, this was going to be hard.

"Yes, until I find a way out or decide to take this body as my own" why her will was stronger than mine I had no idea, I should be murdering her friends right now in the body of a purple pony!

"Who are you? Where did you come from? What are you? What was that gem?" the world I found myself in started to shrink and become darker as the unicorn moved closer to me, showing that while she was grasping her new ability to look inside her own mind quickly but not fast enough to have it change on a whim, something all good keepers learned fast so as not to become trapped in there own minds.

"Heras, The Underworld, a Human and that Gem was a focal point to a Dungeon Heart, something that allowed me to create new realms for me to rule" I turned a slight smile crossing my face as I thought of a plan, the fact that the Unicorn had attacked me alone was interesting, a glimpse into her mind that told of only useful things.

"So with you stuck here Equestria is safe!" a smile played across her lips as my plan suddenly became clear.

"You think I am the only keeper who know's of this place? With me gone they will forget about this place for a few months, a year at best" I looked her over "But they will come, and they will come with a much stronger force than I" I watched her as she mulled over this new threat to her life.

"If you know a way to stop them" she glared at me and I let out a chuckle.

"I know a few, you could wait for them and use the magic artifacts you used on me on them, but that relies on them bringing a dungeon heart, and more, ponies?" she nodded "Ponies will get hurt that way, no the best way would be to shatter their empire and make them harmless, a huge undertaking, one that you will surely fail with your limited power"

"But you think its viable, and you don't seem prone to mixing words, well besides the lies" she turned and looked at me "You think there is a chance of me being able to defeat the 'Keepers' tell me why" the conversation was going well but this was the hard part, she would be hard to convince.

"You could take control of some dungeons yourself, use the added power to fight the other keepers and render the underworld harmless" she looked me over an eyebrow raised.

"And the catch?" this was the hard part

"It will take a lot out of you, you will do and see things that you never thought possible, you will find new things that don't have names and fight things that should not exist, when you have finished and this 'Equestria' is safe, you will not return the same mare" I caught myself holding my breath, something I had no reason to do here.

"There must be other ways" she finished and I shrugged in response.

"There are not but I understand, also if you could give me something to read or do I would be grateful, I will be residing in here for a while and boredom is not something I am happy with" she glared at me and shook her head before vanishing, no doubt waking up. I sat at the table in the corner of the room and as I expected her senses were linked here, giving me at least some idea of what was going on.

Twilight groggily opened her eyes as a pink friend of hers bandaged her leg, Pinkie has various cuts and shallow gashes across her body using her natural earth pony magic to limit the bleeding, it turns out the "Keeper" came much closer to hitting her then it seemed.

"TWILIGHT!" the pink mare beamed "you're awake! you were out for a little while there, just after the elements dropped us onto the floor" there was a shuffling behind her as she turned to find Applejack putting her hat over her cousin's head putting it over his body a solemn look upon her face.

"T'aint right... what kinda monster does this!" she slammed a hood down as Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on her back saying nothing.

"This gem... he must have been using it as a focal point for whatever magic he was casting... but its not a gem" Twilight turned to her Unicorn friend who was looking over the now dark orb, now that she could get a closer look she saw it was more of a rock than anything.

"Dumb rock" the Fashionista dropped it and moved to see her friends. Twilight did not, she got to her hooves and picked up the stone looking at it closely before a faint voice resonated in her head.

"_A Keepers most important tool, the Heart stone used by Keepers to channel magic from Dungeon Hearts_" Twilight blinked.

"_So there is no getting rid of you then?_" she thought back frowning.

"_No, so what do you intend to do?_" Twilight shook her head and did not respond moving back to her friends who where looking at her intently, besides fluttershy who was fussing over pinkie.

"lets get back to town... Applejack need any hel-"

"No. its fine" she sighed pulling the body onto her back before rainbow stopped her and picked up the head, helmet still attached nodding to applejack with a solemn gaze.

"Well ah guess a little help won't hurt none" she nods to Twilight and the six start making there way back to town, the forest surprisingly quiet with Twilight taking up the front of the group with the stone circling her head, she wanted to know a bit more about it before she made her judgment.

"What's on yer mind sugarcube?"Applejack turned to Twilight looking to take her mind off of the body draped over her back.

"He was not working alone, whatever he was... there are more of them" there was a groan from behind Twilight as Pinke stuck her tongue out and kept walking.

"Great more evil mean bad guys from... where are they from?" she looks to Twilight

"Mostly from the realm of Zahalla, some of the Keepers have land in the outplane, a place between your world and Zahalla but they are rare, Keepers are centralized." Twilight nearly stopped but that might make her friends suspicious, who know what they might think if they found out about the person in her head, it was odd that he was so open with information like this, did he honestly want to help her?

"I don't know... but, we have to find a way of stopping them" she looks out over the town of ponyville, some of the houses burned and broken as the Purple unicorn sighs "whatever the cost"


	7. Chapter 6

Twilight pushed the door to her library open, letting it bang loudly into the tree wall, as she slumped into her home. She scanned the book shelves, picking up the most relevant books she would need, things on subterranean survival, defensive magic, and a few other subjects that might prove useful.

Heras was tricking her, she knew that but there was a chance that their interests aligned, and it would help her protect Equestria.

"_You might want a cape or some armor, and a knife, or blade might be helpful too_" His voice echoed in her mind.

"_Why are you being so helpful?_" She frowned as she picked up a tight fitting linen vest, which she acquired in the crystal kingdom. It covered her body just shy of her cutie mark and left her legs and neck exposed, before she put on a dark purple cape over that. Rarity might faint at her sense of fashion, but the clothes would be more than useful.

"_Because our fates are linked for a time, and it is in my intrest to keep you safe._" The answer appeased her, so long as he was looking out for his own skin she could accept his help.

Packing food, and some items that might prove useful, like rope in her bag, slung it over her back, and fastened it with her magic. Glad that her draconic assistant was not home, Twilight wrote a letter to him, explaining it. Doing so in person would be hard. When the letter was done, she quickly left for the Everfree; there was no time to say goodbye.

* * *

Twilight had found the tunnel with ease, it had been left open and abandoned much to the Keeper's annoyance. The dark damp tunnel, enlightened with only her horn's glow, was far longer and harder to navigate than the forest. Walking alone in the darkness was... unpleasant, she was almost glad she had someone to talk to.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" She asked out loud, the silence around her was oppressive.

"_Positive, this place will help you transfer your bearings, and 'that dumb rock' is more valuable than a mountain of gold._"

"But if its a pocket realm, how do I get in?" She sighed turning along the twisting path, her adventure had turned out to be not only dull but monotonous "Also how do you get the walls so..." she looked around, the walls were imperfect but straight, turns whereas close to ninety degrees as can be expected underground.

"_Most keepers... I say 'most', but I have yet to find one who does not, anyway... Most keepers use a minion called an 'Imp' to carve out tunnels and dungeons down here, living creatures from an offering of gold. A waste, in my opinion. My imps where magical constructs._"

Twilight could hear a faint tapping noise. "Are they... dangerous?" She tried to turn her ears to make out where the sound came from.

"_No. Well, they can be if you corner them, but what isn't?_" As Twilight turned to face whatever seemed to be following her, something tackled her, pressing her face into the dirt, and pinning her to the ground. In shock her light spell faded.

"Well, well, well, you must be from the new overworld. What would a goodly little creature like you be doing down here in the dark?" a female voice met the unicorns ears and she could just about pick up a pale smile in the dark.

This is exhausting ^^" I'll stop here , and try to write on my own story ok, thank you for doing this ^^ you rock

"Dark elves, matriarchal creatures, they respect female cruelty... no idea why they just don't like men, odd" Twilight looked up at the 'Dark Elf' and shook her head.

"Just looking around, why did you attack me?" she decided to keep things polite for now.

"Well just incase you are a hero, you are not a hero are you?" a blade found itself at twilights neck

"No, just a unicorn looking for something" the blade left her neck and Twilight bucked her hooves back into whatever was on her back causing a scream of pain to fill the dark tunnel, followed by mirthful laughter.

"A worm is he not? stupid man let the knife slack" Twilight slowly used her light spell letting it dimly light the tunnel and showing the tall, thin Dark Elf before her nodding to the slightly more stocky male holding his hands to his crotch.

"I like you" the Dark Elf smiled causing Twilight to turn back to look at her "Not many 'goodly' creatures can show a man his place so easily"

"I am looking for the crossing point" Twilight pushed her disgust at getting praise for hurting someone to the back of her mind, things worked different down here.

"Looking to join a keeper? I am sure many of them would like a creature as unique as you in their ranks, my name is Elliv Huntseeker" she nodded to Twilight

"Twilight" the unicorn answered simply causing the Elf to nod.

"A good name, I am going to the Crossing point too, would you like to travel together?" Twilight nodded not sure how much she could trust her new 'companions'

"So, not many unicorns down here?" the Dark Elf shook her head

"No, hell I have never seen a equine so small" she looked Twilight over and shrugged "my last keeper just died so I need a new one" looking over Twilight she grinned "this your first one right?"

"Well, yes" she looked up at the dark elf walking at a pace that seemed to make her male companion uncomfortable "but I am optimistic"

"well here is the portal, it leads to one of the smaller crossroads, more of an outpost then a town" the dark elf pointed to a stone circle with a dark pit at its base "you know how to use a portal right?" the unicorn sheepishly shook her head and the elf nodded.

"Right, well just jump into the portal and keep yourself together until you reach the crossroads, its a direct link, you will like it there" she winks and dives into the portal quickly followed by her companion leaving Twilight alone.

"_Well you heard the elf, jump_" Heras urges as Twilight looks into the inky darkness tapping her hoof to the floor uncomfortably.

"This can't be safe" the unicorn muttered quietly before leaping into the portal closing her eyes with a squeak, there was a sudden change in temperature, from a damp cold close to freezing ambience to a dry warm one that hit her first, then it was the voices, opening her eyes Twilight looked around at the small yet busy subtrainen town, lava bordered the wide open cavern with houses leading up the walls with walkways between them hundreds of creatures mulled around.

Dragons, most of them young and powerful strutted around looking like they had something to prove, goblins kept in small tribes holding knives and clubs glaring at anything that came to close, acolytes and warlocks mostly humanoid hurried from place to place in colorful robes often with their noses in books.

Taverns made up most of the innermost plaza of the town, with shops selling almost everything a mercenary monster would need, occasionally there was a well dressed figure, Humanoid most of the time, who she identified as a keeper, not a keeper like Heras, who was strong and powerful without the need of opulence that most of the lesser keepers showed, fat lumps of meat that would make Bile Demons blush carried on wide beds with gold and gems lining everything to bring a sense of importance.

That was not what got her attention however, it was the creatures that were looking her over.

"A Unicorn? Hmm wonder how much pay you get" a female orc smiled and nodded, rather friendly despite the blood spattered club slung over her shoulder or the rusted plate armor that concealed nothing.

"Must have come in from a new realm, not much of a fighter, a magic user of some kind?" a skinny looking Dark Elf male in robes looked her over as Twilight looked around for where Heras said to go spotting the side alley quickly before a large round blob blocked her path.

"Little pony cute!" the blob announced shaking its skinny arms as it pointed more and more creatures coming closer to look at the newcomer.

"_Twilight, this is bad, news of a new creature will spread fast, it would be best to teleport away from this crowd and move on to the pocket realm, you will find the gate in that alley_" the voice caused the others to fade out as Twilight nodded, she did not want to be the center of attention to a bunch of monsters.

In a flash Twilight was behind the crowd and slipped into the alley quickly finding a brick in one of the walls with a small engraving on it, she drew her hoof back and smashed it, then she was gone.

* * *

Twilight opened her eyes, something had been dripping onto her face as she lay on the floor, a stalactite hung from the high ceiling over her, the stone had created an unstable portal that had taken her here in a rather uncomfortable manner, wherever 'here' was.

The voice in her head was quiet, and for the first time underground she felt alone, looking around she was in a wide open room about fourteen meters across with a circular stone slab on the floor with the image of what looked like a face with large horns sticking out of the forehead.

why did this place feel so... RIGHT?!

Twilight wanted to scream or sing or dance, it was in the air, what she was, pure magic untamed and wild was in the very air.

A heartbeat, Twilight turned to look at her saddlebags, still in place as she saw the dark red glow. she pulled the glowing rock from its place between two books in a blanket and looked into its pulsing depth, it felt like a heartbeat, her heartbeat, twisting the rock before her eyes she felt the magic start to sturr around her, her eyes catching dancing lines across the rock as she shivered in delight at the feeling of so much powerfull magic around her.

Drip-drip-drip, she put a hoof to her face and noted she was bleeding, her blood had pooled onto the ground and was lighting up the stone at her hooves, how wonderful! she wished she could share this with her friends or celestia, it was the best feeling ever!

Then she groaned, the stone falling to the ground and passing into the round slab across the floor without a sound, her heart, her real heart hurt like fire. she fell to her hocks and pressed her bleeding face into the floor as she cried out, it hurt but she did not wish it to stop, slowly cracks formed on the slab, wide gashes in the stone that slowly widened as the stone broke away, suddenly Twilight fell.

Thump-thump

Twilight opened her eyes

Thump-thump

She could feel it, all around her, it was power and magic and blood and life.

Thump-thump

It was the best thing ever!

Thump-thump

she looked around her mind clearing from the rush she had just experienced a soft flesh under her that felt so soft, she smiled and looked down at her own heart, it was odd, she knew it was her, she could feel it, her heart spread out to contain the magic of this realm, it was beautiful.

Sadly her rest would not last.

"_Wakey wakey keeper, time to smell the ashes_" the voice echoed around Twilight's head causing her to groan as she teleported out onto the stone around her heart. it was easy, she didn't even FEEL the drain!

"What happened?" she glanced around at the square room, it had no doors leading out, just her heart in the middle and a path around that.

"_You embraced the power offered to you, I have never seen a new keeper react so well to the role, most can't handle all the power and spend a long time to recover_" Twilight nodded, she felt relaxed, her power was steadily building with no end in sight, she was already leagues beyond what she was.

"So, what now, with power like this i can crush any who dare to Threaten Equestria" a wide grin crossed her face,, Celestia would be so proud.

"_Not quite Keeper_" Heras spoke in her head "this is the first of many hearts, you will need to build your power, not only in magic but over the land, become a true keeper and destroy the ones who would hurt the innocent" Twilight nodded, she slowly stretched out her legs, feeling just a bit taller than she was, she looked around.

"where do we start?" There was a slight chuckle from her mental passenger.

"_Imps_"


End file.
